Chapter 5
Li Zewen chuckled and, at that moment, had no intention of correcting Qi Yu's description of this as merely changing the soup but not the medicine, so he shifted the topic.
My sister and brother-in-law will come to the airport to pick me up
The matter of directly addressing the teacher by name was indeed done by Qi Yu, but it was only that one time
However, at the same time, she is also closed off, the most obvious manifestation being her complete lack of interest in any gossip unrelated to academics. For instance, when a group of people is at a party, they often discuss matters of romantic relationships, such as boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands, and wives. Only Qi Yu would never participate in such topics; she has no interest in the private lives of her classmates or teachers. Does it concern her in the slightest whether others are dating, getting married, divorcing, or having children? No! Unless someone forcefully seeks her opinion, she will merely respond with a couple of "mm-hmm" to indicate she is listening, and echo a few polite phrases like "sounds good" or "not bad"—in short, she has no interest in the private lives of her classmates or teachers. Does it concern her in the slightest whether others are dating, getting married, divorcing, or having children? No! Unless someone forcefully seeks her opinion, she will merely respond with a couple of "mm-hmm" to indicate she is listening, and echo a few polite phrases like "sounds good" or "not bad"—in short, she is someone who finds it very difficult to take an interest in others. It is extremely rare for someone to pique her interest and for her to take the initiative to inquire.
For instance, there are rumors that a certain colleague has found a mistress behind his wife's back. Such rumors can make those who know this person aware that there may be issues with his character, suggesting that he might not be trustworthy. It is advisable to remain vigilant when dealing with this individual.
I just checked the app, and it should be on time
Oh? They are actually getting married? Xi Yu was quite surprised
He could discern the hesitation in Qi Yu's words, and he was well aware of her character, naturally knowing that she had not spoken fully. Thus, he inquired.
Li Zewen said: "They were together during that Thanksgiving when they came to Boston"
This is a very rare personality, almost unlikely to be innate
"Are you stopping her just for this?" Li Zewen said casually, "What about other reasons?"
"That was my fault..." Xi Yu changed the way she addressed him, "Alright, Professor"
This statement was unprecedented, and Qi Yu couldn't help but laugh in astonishment: "Is there such a thing? Can a bridesmaid also be a side job?"
The warm and friendly voice sent shivers down Qi Yu's spine. Every time Li Zewen spoke in this tone during class, it was a hint to the students that they had "answered incorrectly"
Then you must have gotten home quite late, did someone pick you up at the airport
The root of this curiosity does not stem from the so-called "human flaws" but rather from "practicality." The reason humans gossip, are curious about the lives of celebrities, and are interested in the private lives of those around them is that such gossip and idle chatter allow everyone to gain a better understanding of their friends and the world, thereby enabling them to adapt better to their environment and discern which behaviors are acceptable and which are not accepted
No, Xu Yu denied, "I just think it must be a case of mistaken identity."
How to admit a mistake
Yes, Xu Yu said, "She is my classmate from middle school and high school"
What time is the flight in the evening
11 o'clock
It is like this, Cheng Yin looks very much like a classmate of mine from middle school, and their names are exactly the same. So yesterday I struck up a conversation with her. Qi Yu paused, her brow involuntarily furrowing, and said, "However, upon careful consideration, it might just be a coincidence."
Really
Li Zewen certainly did not genuinely intend to persuade her to be a bridesmaid. Although Qi Yu had met Tang Mi and Li Zhixing once, their relationship was not close enough to warrant the intimacy of being a "bridesmaid." However, the drive to the airport would take about half an hour, so they would inevitably have to chat about something.
Xu Yu's face, which had just been smiling, now showed a hint of hesitation, "... actually, it's nothing much."
She was lost in thought, but Li Zewen was aware of it. He simply asked, "What’s the matter, can’t you speak?"
The roar was due to her being infuriated, her anger flaring up, feeling that Li Zewen was too harsh on her
"Your cousin?" Xi Yu was taken aback, recalling the chance encounter two years ago during Thanksgiving, "Ah, is it Li Zhixing?"
Li Zewen then brought up an old matter: "Speaking of which, what is it that you need to see Cheng Yin about?"
The expenses for a trip back home are considerable, with round-trip airfare costing several thousand dollars—yet she does not have that much money. Coming from an ordinary family, she cannot expect financial assistance from them. She relies on the two thousand yuan scholarship provided by the school each month to cover her living expenses, which barely meets her monthly expenditures. After a year, the savings she accumulates are insufficient to purchase a round-trip ticket.
Xi Yu spent a full five years in the United States, during which she only returned to her home country once during the winter break of her second year of Ph.D. studies. It was not that she did not want to visit her family, but she was constantly hindered by various reasons, such as a heavy academic workload and other commitments that arose when she wished to return home. Furthermore, in the later years of her graduate studies, she either spent time at sea or devoted an entire year to her thesis. Ultimately, despite all the reasons that could be cited, the main reason for her infrequent returns to her home country was still economic constraints. Additionally, in the later years of her graduate studies, she either spent time at sea or devoted an entire year to her thesis. Ultimately, despite all the reasons that could be cited, the main reason for her infrequent returns to her home country was still economic constraints
The car turned onto the avenue of the capital city in the night, the neon lights along the roadside flashed rapidly on her cheeks, reflecting the subtly upward-turned golden-red eyeliner at the corners of her eyes and a pair of striking dimples.
That is truly something to congratulate them on, Xu Yu merely expressed this sentiment casually, not genuinely wanting to understand the couple's relationship. She immediately shook her head, saying, "Being a bridesmaid is enough... In fact, I am not very familiar with them."
Only after calming down did she gradually realize Li Zewen's heartfelt intentions
Li Zewen smiled and glanced at her. This answer is certain and definite; given Qi Yu's personality, she would definitely take the time to be someone else's bridesmaid, which indicates that their relationship must be quite close
"Yes, she is one of my best friends," Xi Yu emphasized.
However, Qi Yu has no desire for such gossip; she is indifferent to the private lives of others and has almost no private life of her own. She always stands outside a glass wall, isolating herself from others with a state of "having no private life." You can see her, you can roughly understand her, but you can never truly reach the real her
Is the flight on time?
My cousin is also preparing for his wedding and is worried about finding a bridesmaid. Li Zewen actually offered a suggestion, asking, "How about taking a part-time job as a bridesmaid?"
It can be said that Xi Yu is the person Li Zewen has encountered who best integrates the qualities of openness and introversion. She is considered open because she is kind, optimistic, diligent, and hardworking, lacking the deep grievances that many Ph.D. students have towards their studies. She possesses a genuine love for scientific research and is even willing to take elective courses in the humanities out of a thirst for new knowledge. While she does not always wear a smile, she carries a bright expression during social interactions, being neither arrogant, indifferent, insincere, nor pretentious. In social settings, she communicates effortlessly with everyone, agreeing when necessary, joking when appropriate, and creating a pleasant atmosphere.
It can be said that a fondness for gossip is the most direct manifestation of a curious nature. Although with the advancement of the times and the development of information networks, very few people in modern society can truly care about others or desire to get to know them, the fundamental curiosity about people and events has remained unchanged.
Good friend
Yes, the bride you also know, Tang Mi
Li Zewen nodded slightly: "You have to rush back so late, haven't you been back to the country for several years?"
Yes, I have only returned to my home country once in the past five years
Her native language is not English after all. Although she has spent a considerable amount of time improving her English proficiency, there are always flaws when it comes to "writing papers." Her essays and assignments are far from perfect. However, since she is a science student, two-thirds of her scientific papers consist of formulas, and the requirements for word choice and sentence structure are not as high as in the humanities, so they appear to be acceptable. Li Zewen's meticulous and thorough feedback significantly enhanced her paper writing skills. A thick stack of papers lay before her, and as she looked at each page filled with his handwritten, detailed, and targeted comments, she couldn't help but wish she could traverse time and space to take back that outburst.
Xi Yu is the most outstanding talent cultivated under the examination-oriented education system. She works day and night, neglecting sleep and food, seizing every moment, and drawing inferences from one instance, sharpening her mind to a brilliance akin to an unparalleled sword. Even at MIT, a world-renowned university, she can achieve a very high GPA. However, this pride and confidence have been shattered under Li Zewen's guidance. She has reviewed the papers of her classmates, similar in caliber, who can receive grades of A or B, yet her papers are always marked with glaring D or C.
Li Zewen smiled at her and said, "I see you did quite well as a bridesmaid today; you could definitely consider expanding into a side business."
Xi Yu is one of the few very interesting and unique individuals that Li Zewen has encountered
Is today's bride, Wang An'an, your classmate
Two years ago, she took the course on International Organizations taught by Li Zewen. The assignments for this course were quite numerous, just like in other courses. Every time she diligently wrote a paper, Li Zewen would always give her a low score. In simple terms, for the other students in the class, Li Zewen judged based on the matter rather than the person; he would comprehensively consider the students' knowledge level before grading. However, for her, he judged the person rather than the matter, scrutinizing each of her assignments with a magnifying glass, picking apart every word error, grammatical mistake, citation error, structural issue, and logical flaw. To put it simply, for the other students in the class, Li Zewen judged based on the matter rather than the person; he would comprehensively consider the students' knowledge level before grading. But for her, he judged the person rather than the matter, meticulously examining each of her assignments with a magnifying glass, identifying her word errors, grammatical mistakes, citation errors, structural issues, and logical flaws, even pointing out problems with the basic usage of 'a' and 'the', and then justifiably marking her with a low score.
Due to the hurried departure, Qi Yu did not have much time to remove her makeup; she merely wiped her face hastily before rushing out of the room. While the makeup on her cheeks was washed away, the subtle makeup around her eyes and brows could not be completely removed. Like most science students who have obtained a doctor's degree, Qi Yu did not pay particular attention to her appearance and always presented herself without makeup. With such immense academic pressure, numerous papers to write, and an entire desk piled with unread materials, she could only manage five to six hours of sleep each day. Why bother with makeup? Being able to wash her hair every three days and do laundry once a week to keep herself tidy was already quite an achievement. However, she was different now. This is not to say that Qi Yu was unattractive; her skin was excellent, and her large dimples when she smiled were her signature, making her appear as an absolutely pure, girl-next-door beauty. Yet, the makeup artist hired by the Ma couple was truly skilled; a touch of light makeup enhanced the contours of her brows and eyes, transforming her aura and bringing forth a charm that would never typically appear on her, completing her transformation from a light beauty to a stunning beauty.
She was furious, she was going crazy. She had seen favoritism before, but never to this extent—elective courses required payment, writing papers demanded time and effort, and despite investing so much money and energy, she received no recognition. Even Qi Yu, who had always respected her teacher, could no longer contain herself—thus, after a certain class, she couldn't help but angrily roar at this biased professor.